Cute Tokyo: Best kawaii things to eat and do in the city

In Tokyo, ‘cute’ doesn’t just refer to the kitschy kawaii styles that Harajuku is famous for. Sure, ‘cute’ is an expression we use on an animal-shaped doughnut, a 3D latte art of a cat, or a bento filled with bunny-shaped sushi. There’s also a refined, more elegant side to ‘cute’, one that carries great artistic value, and you’ll find it in things like ikebana, amezaiku sugarwork and of course, wagashi – the delicate tea time sweets that are too pretty to eat.

In fact, you’ll discover ‘cute’ in its many manifestations throughout Tokyo, from billboards and product packaging to food presentation and even public infrastructure designs such as the manhole covers, which have garnered a following of their own. So get cute with Tokyo – you know you want to.

Also see: Artist Sebastian Masuda explains the Japanese concept of 'kawaii'